Sponsors (20)
The bill expands recognition, funding, and inclusive definitions for K–12 biliteracy—helping students (especially disadvantaged and multilingual learners) gain credentials and supports—while creating new administrative costs, implementation challenges, and short‑term funding/award rules that could produce uneven access and sustainability risks.
K–12 students receive a formal Seal of Biliteracy on diplomas/transcripts, giving them a visible credential that can improve college admissions and job prospects and clarifies access to the program.
Low‑income students, English learners, students with disabilities, and Native/tribal language speakers gain targeted supports (subsidized testing, inclusion plans) that reduce cost and access barriers and promote equitable participation.
The bill provides dedicated federal funding ($10M/year for FY2025–2029) for states to establish or expand Seal programs, fund professional development, and support statewide outreach and implementation.
Implementing or expanding Seal programs requires administrative and testing costs for schools and states, creating budgetary strain for districts and state education systems.
Designing valid, standardized assessments for less‑commonly‑taught and Indigenous languages is difficult and may produce uneven access and recognition across states and schools.
Program design and grant rules (one active competitive grant per State, 2‑year terms, renewal at Secretary’s discretion, and a six‑month return requirement for unspent funds) create uncertainty, discourage multi‑year planning, and can disadvantage multi‑district or staggered projects.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Creates a competitive federal grant program (FY2025–FY2029, $10M/year) to establish or improve State Seals of Biliteracy and related early language programs with inclusion and reporting rules.
Introduced February 27, 2025 by Julia Brownley · Last progress February 27, 2025
Creates a federal competitive grant program funded at $10 million per year for FY2025–FY2029 to help states establish, improve, and run State Seal of Biliteracy programs and related early language efforts. Grants last two years (renewable), support recognition of student proficiency in English and a second language (including ASL, Braille, classical, and Native American languages), require equitable inclusion and outreach plans, and include reporting and allowable uses for administrative costs, outreach, and subgrants to local education agencies.